lowered springs with standard shocks?

[sparker]

I'm very tempted to lower my Toledo since it does like to roll a bit and looks like it's on stilts to me [maybe just my generation's thing - 90s baby], I've seen the 1" lowered 175lb Uprated springs on Rimmer Bros. which seem to be used by quite a few people, and are very affordable. However the ride adjustable shocks are another matter, so this leads me to my question, how stupid / useless would it be to run lowered springs on the Tolly's standard shocks?

[lwalton]

I have full sets of shocks and various lowered springs for sale

[Carledo]

The Sprint lowered springs will not fit a Tolly shocker, they are different diameters. And stock Sprint springs at 145 lbs make a Tolly look like a monster truck! So 175 pounders will be worse! I've been through this myself with the Carledo, there are NO uprated springs at all for Toledos and no information, even in the factory shop manual, on poundages for the standard suspension. So you have no baseline to work from, it's very frustrating!
At first I cut down some Sprint springs which helped a bit (4" out of the free length seems about right) but when finances allowed, I bit the bullet and bought the Gaz ASP shox all round and now run those with standard Sprint front springs (normal length and 145lb) and standard Toledo rear springs (anything stiffer makes the rear undriveably hard and skittery)
A REALLY good and cheap mod (if it's not already been done) is to fit a front anti-roll bar, of all the range, only the Toledo was not so equipped from new, but all the mounting points are there so it's a bolt on job and it transforms the roadholding.

Steve

[sparker]

Thank you so much for the information! It looks like I'm going to be saving for the fancy shocks then, I had no idea the Dolly springs wouldn't fit over the Tolly shocks. Also thanks for the info on the anti roll-bar, it's interesting that wasn't fitted to the toledos, I've got a 1500 Dolly donor car on the way so hopefully that'll have one I can swap out. Thanks again.

Seb

[sparker]

Actually, I see AVO do shocks for the toledo, would the Toledo springs fit on these fine? Also does anyone know if the ride is worse on these than the GAZ ride and height adjustable ones?

[cliftyhanger]

You can just fit dolomite shocks and springs. The toledo has smaller diameter front springs (for some reason that no doubt made sense at the time!)

IIRC AVO and Gaz shocks are related (same bloke?? at different times) but beware misinformation that abounds on the net. I was sold some brand new rear shocks, that turned out to be fronts.... (that was a NOS trader at Stoneleigh)

[Carledo]

Check the diameter on the 1500 front springs, some have the smaller Toledo size and some have the larger Sprint/1850 size. but best is to use the larger diameter springs from a slant as the front can stand stiffening and the ASPs bring the ride height back down. Buy your Gaz for Sprint, the rears are all the same size so Tolly rear springs fit Sprint shox. NOS Sprint/1850 type front springs are cheap as chips, I think I paid £18 for 2 at Stoneleigh show a year or two back. A few people on here have had problems with AVO shox destroying their bottom bushes in very short order, so in all honesty I can't recommend them. My Gaz' are 3 years and 17000 miles old and are fine so far.

Finally, how not to do it!



My car as first built, with standard Sprint coilovers all round. Not only does it look horrid, the handling and driveability was terrible too!

This is how it is now,



Considerably better, i'm sure you will agree! And now it corners beautifully!

Steve

[sparker]

Wow that really does look like a monster truck on the sprint coilovers! But yes looks much better in the second pic, is that pretty much standard height on the rears?

[Carledo]

Wow that really does look like a monster truck on the sprint coilovers! But yes looks much better in the second pic, is that pretty much standard height on the rears?

It's about 1.5" down on stock at the back. (and about 3" at the front) You can go further, but not with the MGF rims! I've rolled the rear arches, but the inward taper on the inner arch means contact if you go much lower. That and it looks tail down if you drop it further, the front really WON'T go much lower, I've nearly lost the sump plug a couple of times as it is! I'm also not a big fan of "slamming" The stance is how it is cos that's how it works best, it's sheer co-incidence that it looks good as well. I trackday this car and for me, function defines form. The second pic may be slightly misleading as the car is parked on a slope. It actually sits pretty much level, front to back.

Steve

[sparker]

Yes it must be the slope as it looks like it's leaning slightly forward to me. Oh I really hate stancing or slamming cars, it totally ruins functionality AND looks [in my opinion], but the Toledo does roll a decent amount, I hope the anti-roll bar helps this, but I wouldn't mind a firmer ride if I do lower it - right now it's actually softer than my dad's Honda Accord!

[Carledo]

The front anti roll bar will make a BIG difference. You can also fit a rear one (PM me if you want one, I have several) but opinion is divided amongst the fast fraternity about how useful a rear one is. Largely because the racing Sprints in the heady days of their BTCC wins ran with the stock rollbar removed and "a bit of wire" put in it's place to maintain homologation. I'm running with a rear one at the moment, I think it makes a small improvement to my car - but that may be just because I WANT it to!

These cars, along with MOST RWD stuff run best with the front end stiff and the rear end middling soft, you will find, once you get your fancy shox, that this also applies to shocker settings, you can set the front hard (7 clicks off max works on mine) and the rear nearly at minimum (6-8 clicks from minimum for mine but maybe a tad harder if yours is a 4 door)

Steve